Ghastly Women Podcast Joins Mercury | New Season Launch & Wild Premiere Episode
The critically-acclaimed comedy-crime show Ghastly Women, beloved for its chaotic humour and unapologetic approach to history’s most outrageous women, has officially joined the powerhouse roster at Mercury Podcasts.
And as if that weren’t enough to excite loyal fans, the show’s eighth season has launched — promising to be the most unhinged, audacious, and laugh-so-hard-you-cry chapter yet.
Hosted by celebrated comedians Esther Manito and Lily Phillips, Ghastly Women has carved a rare niche in podcast culture: a blend of true crime, feminist satire, absurdity, and anarchic comedy that listeners can’t get enough of.
“The filthiest and funniest yet,” tease the hosts — and if you’ve heard even a single episode, you know that’s not a hollow threat.
🌪️ How Ghastly Women Went From DIY Pandemic Project to Comedy Podcast Royalty
When Ghastly Women first launched, the world was in lockdown, sourdough starters were having a cultural moment, and Zoom comedy gigs were the new arena.
The podcast began as a pandemic experiment, cooked up in living rooms and improvised recording corners — where laughs were louder than production budgets.
But something clicked:
Audiences craved irreverent relief
Dark humour met historical villainesses
And suddenly, “ghastly” became… cult-worthy
The show snowballed from a witty idea into a viral comedic force, growing an army of fans who live for Manito and Phillips’:
✅ razor-sharp observations ✅ unfiltered feminist bite ✅ wild vocal outbursts & musical tangents ✅ ability to turn history into riotous chaos
🤝 Mercury Podcasts x Ghastly Women: A Perfect Match
Securing a deal with Mercury Podcasts marks a milestone — one that signals Ghastly Women stepping into a bigger stage with major backing and a fresh studio setup.
The show’s producer, Alastair Clayton, reflected on the journey:
“We started during the pandemic and played it by ear. Now eight series in, joining Mercury feels like the perfect moment — this is Esther and Lily in their most brilliantly unhinged form yet.”
Mercury CEO Liam Heffernan returned the praise:
“One of the funniest podcasts in the world… true crime and comedy, brilliantly blended. Bringing them to Mercury was a no-brainer.”
With a network celebrated for nurturing innovative audio voices, this partnership signals full-throttle comedic expansion.
🎧 Season 8 Premiere — Tackling Netflix’s Most Jaw-Dropping Cyberbullying Scandal
The season kicks off with a bang — and a case that dominated global headlines. Episode one revisits Kendra Licari — the woman who infamously cyber-stalked her own daughter, a disturbing story later depicted in Netflix’s documentary Unknown Number.
Ghastly Women doesn’t simply recap the story — they:
Tear apart societal expectations of “good women”
Roast the absurdity of the case
Explore the darker side of digital parenting
Toss in musical bits, wild riffs, and signature shock humour
It’s true crime meets unfiltered comedy, and nobody does that fusion like Manito and Phillips.
👭 Meet the Hosts: Chaos Power Duo of British Comedy
Esther Manito
Award-winning comedian
Arabic-British powerhouse with fearless stage presence
Known for skewering stereotypes and sharing painfully hilarious parenthood takes
Lily Phillips
Rising comedy star
Quirky, sharp-tongued, and defiantly uncensored
Brings musical comedy flair and powerhouse improv skills
